Kanpur 27th March 2021: The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) today announced the signing of a MoU with the Micky and Vinita Pant Charitable Fund to support the establishment of the School of Medical Research and Technology (SMRT) at IIT Kanpur. The MoU amounting to US$2.5 million is the first such donation towards development of the SMRT in the institute. Mr. Muktesh Pant, Founder, Micky and Vinita Pant Charitable Foundation, is a Distinguished Alumnus of IIT Kanpur.

Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT Kanpur said, “We pride ourselves on our alumni who have received national and international recognition and success, but always feel connected to their alma mater. In the spirit of Giving Back, they nurture the institute through their generous contributions. We are grateful for this donation by our alumnus, Mr. Muktesh Pant through his charitable foundation towards establishing the School of Medical Research and Technology at IIT Kanpur. SMRT will bring together the expertise of engineering technologies, biomedical research and clinical set-up under a single umbrella to create a one-of-its-kind world-class medical school in the country. SMRT will produce outstanding medical professionals trained in state-of-art engineering technologies who can meet the future healthcare needs of our country. We hope that Mr Pant’s contributions will motivate others also to contribute to create a legacy”.

Mr Muktesh Pant said. “The Vision of a world-class medical school at IIT Kanpur is extremely exciting. The current team, under the able leadership of Prof. Karandikar, inspires great confidence. IIT Kanpur has always been renowned for leading the way in engineering education and this focus on bringing engineering excellence to medical technology has the potential to create many healthcare miracles in future. Vinita and I are delighted to be able to help in starting this exciting new chapter”

Mr. Muktesh Pant obtained his B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering from IIT Kanpur in 1976. In an illustrious career spanning over 35 years, Mr. Pant held various senior positions in premier multinational companies such as Hindustan Unilever, PepsiCo, Reebok and Yum Brands. Further, Mr. Pant went on to lead YUM! China as its CEO when it was successfully spun off as a listed company. He is widely acclaimed for the phenomenal growth of the Yum Brand’sflagship brands KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell in International Markets. Mr. Pant, with his vast knowledge of best practices from around the globe and strategic, brand-building expertise, is a renowned global corporate leader.

SMRT is a one of a kind initiative by IIT Kanpur that aims to revolutionise medical education in India by bridging the gap between medical and technology disciplines. The first phase of the project would include setting up of various Centres of Excellence (CoE) oriented towards cutting-edge medical research and innovation along with a 500 bed super-specialty hospital. The CoE are expected to work in confluence with the core clinical departments of the hospital and biomedical expertise of various engineering departments of IIT Kanpur. In addition, SMRT will not only contribute towardsmeeting the healthcare needs of the underserved population of the city but will also have pan-India benefits.

About IIT Kanpur:

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, established in 1959, is one of the premier institutions established by the Government of India. The aim of the Institute is to provide meaningful education, to conduct original research of the highest standard and to provide leadership in technological innovation. Researchers at IITK perform high-level research often at the forefront in its area. The diversity of research projects undertaken by IITK is a measure of the strong track record of research at IITK. It is the result of the great synergy between the fundamental research and applied research done at IITK. The research environment supports highly creative work done by a small group. At the same time the environment is suitable for managing the large mission critical assignments that are undertaken at IITK. Leveraging the research capabilities of IITK can give research organizations the decisive edge they seek. The in-depth approach leads to outcomes that deliver lasting value. The IITK client list includes leading companies worldwide.